Stanford had top-of-the-line offenses within the nation all season lengthy. However considered one of its worst nights of the season got here on the worst time, and now its season is over.
UConn ended Stanford’s run at attempting to repeat as nationwide champions within the Closing 4, pulling out a 63-58 win on Friday night time in Minneapolis.
“We didn't play very properly tonight, and we simply — I feel we actually struggled working our offense,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer stated. “I feel there have been some self-inflicted wounds, what we had been doing on the market, and it was disappointing.”
The Cardinal made simply 23 pictures on 66 makes an attempt from the sphere (34.8%) and was worse from 3-point vary, solely making 4-of-23 (17.4%). Stanford additionally struggled from the free-throw line, made 8-of-13 (61.5%). Haley Jones, a Mitty (San Jose) alum and the Most Excellent Participant on the 2021 Closing 4, stated off capturing nights are “certain to occur.”
“I feel we may have moved the ball higher. I feel we may have reduce more durable, screened higher, no matter it might be,” Jones stated. “However I feel we left so much on the market unsaid, and in order that’s exhausting to swallow that tablet the place you allow the sport feeling like as a crew you didn’t go away your finest on the market.”
It’s a shocking efficiency from a Cardinal offense that was averaging 73.9 factors per sport getting into Friday night time, making it a High-30 off out of the 348 Division I faculties.
Jones led all Stanford gamers with 20 factors and 11 rebounds. Cameron Brink added 13 factors, however no different Stanford participant scored greater than six. In what was nearly assuredly their closing video games for Stanford, Lexie Hull scored 4 factors 2-for-12 from the sphere and Lacie Hull had three factors on 1-for-4 capturing.
Stanford’s protection was stable all night time, holding UConn to only 36.8% from the sphere and forcing 19 turnovers. However Minnesota native Paige Bueckers led the Huskies with 14 factors, Evina Westbrook got here off the bench to attain 12 and Christyn Williams added 10.
“We simply gave it the whole lot we had, and I knew that it won't be sufficient,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma stated. “However thankfully for us, Stanford didn’t have their finest stuff, and we made a pair huge performs, and by some unknown miracle, we’re enjoying Sunday night time.”
UConn will go on to face the No. 1 general seed South Carolina within the nationwide championship sport (5 p.m. Sunday) after the Gamecocks beat Louisville 72-59.
Jones informed ESPN’s Holly Rowe that the Cardinal offense was “terrible” within the first half, as Stanford shot 11-for-30 from the sphere and entered the break trailing 27-26. It didn’t get significantly better out of the break, because the Cardinal shot 4-for-16 within the third and 1-for-9 from deep and had 37 after three.
The Cardinal discovered its finest offense from contained in the paint, scoring 34 of its 58 factors inside. It was a identified space to assault the Huskies, who misplaced submit participant Dorka Juhasz to a wrist harm within the Elite Eight.
But it surely was the ice-cold outdoors capturing — each from the mid-range and from deep — that was demise knell for the Cardinal. And the factor that miffed Jones essentially the most was that she felt the shot makes an attempt had been the correct name.
“I feel they had been undoubtedly attractiveness. I do know I wished a few of these pictures again the place I had attractiveness,” Jones stated. “I’m certain all people on the crew felt that manner. What are you going to do? The ball doesn’t all the time go within the basket. You’ve obtained to swallow that tablet and transfer on from it.
“However I feel it’s motivation for subsequent season.”
The Cardinal may have Jones, Brink, Fran Belibi and so many different key contributors returning. And so they’re including the No. 1 recruit within the Class of 2022, 6-foot-7 submit Lauren Betts.
However for the gamers departing — sixth-year senior Anna Wilson and each of the Hull twins (although they theoretically may come again with the additional yr of eligibility for COVID) — there’s an immense gratitude for serving to deliver Stanford again to the mountaintop, even when they fell quick this yr.
“It’s some tears nevertheless it’s quite a lot of hugs,” Belibi stated. “I feel on the finish of the day, we’re all very disillusioned within the end result of at this time’s sport, however we now have to type of keep in mind the whole lot that we’ve achieved and the whole lot we’ve achieved.”